The invention is concerned with a cable network with light waveguide cables for the installation in pipelines of existing supply line systems, for example a sewer system.
DE 42 03 718 discloses a light waveguide cable network and a method for its laying. The light waveguide cables are laid in a pipeline system of a sewer, in particular storm sewers, with the light waveguide cable network being fastened at the walls. Thus, transitions are provided for the light waveguide cables at the manhole covers or at the walls of the manhole or access shafts.
German Gebrauchsmuster 297 00 912 discloses a light waveguide cable network in a sewer system or pipe system primarily used for other purposes. The light waveguide cables are fastened at the wall of the sewer system or the pipe system. The light waveguide cables are secured within an inaccessible area of the sewer system or pipe system with fastening elements that are beneficially shaped in terms of the flow technology, whereby the fastening elements are elastically twisted so that they press against the wall and spread.
The invention is based on the object of creating a cable network, wherein light waveguide cables are used that are specifically appropriate for the use in sewer systems or pipe systems, wherein precautions have been taken that at no point of the system are agglomerations allowed for dirt carried in the sewer system or pipe system.
The present object is achieved according to the present invention with a cable network, wherein the light waveguide cables are arranged along a generated line of the pipeline under a protective layer, and the protective layer compensates for the transitions between the inside wall of the pipeline and the arranged light waveguide cable.
Given the previously known laying of cables within sewer systems or pipeline systems, fastening means are proposed at which deposits of parts carried in the sewage water can potentially occur. Given a cable network with light waveguide cables and a protective layer arranged thereover according to the present invention, such deposits are no longer possible, since the protective layer that is arranged over the respectively used light waveguide cable forms a smooth surface and compensates the transitions between the introduced light waveguide cable and the inside wall of the sewer system or pipe system. According to the invention, particularly appropriate light waveguide cables are also created therefor with which a cable network can be constructed. An example is what is referred to as xe2x80x9cmicro cablesxe2x80x9d, which comprise a tube with a diameter of 2mm through 10mm, and the light waveguides being loosely introduced in the tube. These micro cables are guided in a groove along a generated line of the sewer system or pipe system, and the groove depth corresponds to approximately the light waveguide cable. The balancing protective layer is then arranged thereover.
Given utilization of thin light waveguide cable units or band-shaped light waveguide cable units, which will be explained hereinafter, it is sufficient to fashion a shallow groove, for example, merely by removing the glaze given ceramic tubes of the sewer system and pipe system. After the fastening of the respective band-shaped light waveguide cable in the shallow groove, the protective layer is, in turn, placed thereover, so that a continuous transition between the light waveguide cable and the wall is provided.
In the two described cases, the laying of the cable in an inaccessible sewer system or pipe system occurs with the aid of appropriate robots, which are known per se and which robots, for example, can also be used given house service connections with a diameter of only 150mm and even down to 100mm. Generally, the optimal insert position for the respective light waveguide cable is in the vertex of the pipe of the sewer system or pipe system, since a direct contact of the flowing medium only rarely occurs at the vertex and since other pipes are only rarely introduced at the vertex.
According to the invention, the light waveguide cables to be laid are provided with an adhesive or an adhesive coating, at least in the contact area with the wall, so that the light waveguide cable is already secured at the wall by pressing. Thus, the following application of the protective layer is significantly facilitated.
Other advantages and features of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments, the drawings and claims.